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Monday, February 21, 2011

Writing while on a Chuck E. Cheese wine buzz...plus a book giveaway

**Giveaway is now closed**

You may remember Sarah Pekkanen (pronounced "peck-a-nin") from our interview with her last summer. Or you may have heard many accolades for her books all over the internet. Either way, Sarah is a sensational writer and we're glad to have her back here. This time, she is talking about writing under rather unique conditions. She also has one signed copy of her newly released novel, "Skipping a Beat" (reviewed here) to give away to a lucky reader in the US or Canada.

Here’s what I used to imagine writing my novel would be like: I’d stroll into a charming little coffee shop, order a vanilla latte, and open my laptop. The words would gracefully unfurl from my fingertips while I nodded in delight at my own cleverness. I’d complete a chapter, take the last, frothy sip of my overpriced beverage, and head home, content and tired, but eager to return the next day and craft another gorgeous chapter.

Huh.

Here’s what my journey to writing a novel was like: I was dragged into Chuck E. Cheese’s by my kids, my laptop wedged under my armpit. I scanned my surroundings, searching for a centrally-located table with maximum surveillance opportunities. I ordered a glass of wine (oh, yes! My local Chuck E. Cheese’s serves wine!) and piled a small mountain of tokens on the table.

“One token at a time,” I instructed my kids. I typed a few words, glanced up as a kid rushed back for a token, and resumed writing. I was interrupted every thirty seconds, but soon I settled into a rhythm: type a bit, get a visual on the kids, type a bit more.

In subsequent months, I wrote more of my book in the dentist’s waiting room while my kids got their teeth cleaned, and in the carpool line for school (don’t worry, my car was in Park.) When my agent called to announce she was sending my novel out on submission, I picked up my battered laptop and took the kids to see Kung Fu Panda and frantically re-read my manuscript, searching for typos, while mainlining M&Ms (er, perhaps that last bit wasn’t really relevant. Plus, it’s now making me crave M&Ms. Excuse me just a moment).

But here’s the crazy thing: I actually prefer writing on the fly to the inherent expectations of the coffee house culture. I think it’s because we writers are so good at messing with our own minds. We type a sentence, mock and ridicule ourselves because it’s so lame, then begin to wonder if we’ll ever write a decent sentence again. We decide we probably won’t, so we wander off in search of a snack. Then we beat ourselves up both for breaking our low-carb diets and for not having the discipline to sit down long enough to hit our target word count for the day. It’s emotionally exhausting.

Writing at places like Chuck E. Cheese’s somehow makes the process less precious. All the pressure is off, because who in their right mind would try to craft a novel while a giant mouse dances a few feet away and crazed, glassy-eyed children careen around, screaming in either joy or terror (all screams sound alike at Chuck E. Cheese’s)? Somehow, the writing comes more easily there. And I don’t mind the noise, because I used to work in crowded newsrooms and am used to the screams of editors (which, for the record, were not usually screams of joy).

Writing works best for me when it fits in around the margins of my life. Now that I’m on my third book, I’m better able to handle longer writing stretches, and I’ve even ventured out to coffee shops at times. I’ve found I also adore writing first thing in the morning, during those quiet, golden hours when everyone in my house is asleep.

But I still return to the way I first learned to write a book, in little snatches and pockets of time. Just the other day, I scheduled an admissions test for my son to attend a new school.

“It’ll take about an hour,” the school official told me. “Do you mind waiting?”

I thought about my laptop, and the deadline for my next book, and I smiled as I said, “I don’t mind waiting at all.”

Thanks again to Sarah for showing how it is possible to write in noisy spaces and for offering her book for our giveaway.

How to win "Skipping a Beat":
Please comment below with your e-mail address.
(Please note: Entries without an e-mail address will NOT be counted. You can use AT and DOT to avoid spam. Or provide a link to your facebook page if you can receive messages there.)

1. Please tell us: What is the strangest thing you've been able to do under noisy or chaotic conditions?
2. Please tell us: What is/was your favorite game at Chuck E. Cheese (or any video game place for that matter)?
3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too).
4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it.
5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.)

68 comments:

1. The strangest thing I've ever done under noisy/chaotic conditions is write magazine articles. I used to be an in-house freelancer for a London-based teen mag, Just 17, and we were expected to produce articles with Spice Girls' music blaring in the background (this was the '90s, after all). We also got impromptu serenades from visiting boy bands from time to time. Crazy stuff!2. I hope this doesn't take me out of the running to win Sarah's wonderful book, but I've never been to Chuck E. Cheeze's. Does playing BrickBreaker on my BlackBerry count? If not, how about Pac Man? :)

God I love Sarah Pekkanen! Even when she is talking about "controlled" chaos she is witty and eloquent.

Ok I have a five year old boy so everything I do has a background track of noise usually punctuated with screams, uh oh's and crashes. The most important thing I have had to do in chaos and noise is probably answer my bosses questions over the phone while taking care of my sick son. One particularly crazy time something important to my boss was not getting done in my absence so he called to find out the protocol so he could make sure it got done properly in while I was out. My son started this weird whining while I was trying to talk to my boss and rub my son's back. All of a sudden my son puked all over me and I loudly gasped. When my boss seemed to not here that or my son's crying I had to finally stop him and tell him I would call back!

1. Hmm...strangest thing I've ever done in noisy conditions? Well, when I went to the hospital to have my son, there wasn't a room ready for me so I had to labor in the waiting room for an hour! The older couple there waiting for their grandaughter to be born asked me inane questions between contractions. 2. I LOVE SKEE BALL!!!!

1. The weirdest thing I've done (and still do) under chaotic conditions is to practice yoga in the middle of Times Square in New York City during the summer solstice. The organizers call it "mind over madness," and I agree.

1. Definitely sleep... if I'm tired enough I can sleep no matter how much noise there is. lol!2. Oh man, I loved the balls. I know they're disgusting and all but it was so much fun! 3.I'm a follower!4.I tweeted! :)5. I'm a follower on FB too

I remember one time when I was younger (probably about 11 or 12), my brother and I had a small get together for cousins and family friends around our ages. The music was absolutely pumping in the house, and somehow I managed to fall asleep in my room.

The strangest thing I've been able to do under noisy conditions is read! (Imagine!) While waiting for a concert to begin, the opening act was playing at an eardrum-bursting intensity... but were boring me terribly. I pulled out a paperback and returned to my current read before the headliner came out. :)

1. What is the strangest thing you've been able to do under noisy or chaotic conditions? I'm good at tuning people out and sticking my nose in a book.2. What is/was your favorite game at Chuck E. Cheese (or any video game place for that matter)? Anything on Atari. I also remember Showbiz Pizza that was bought out by CEC. I remember getting kicked out when I was 17 with my friends because we were under 18 and didn't have an adult with us.3. Follow this blog and post a comment saying you are a follower (if you already follow, that's fine too). I believe I already follow; if not I will now!4. Post this contest on Facebook or Twitter or in your blog, and leave a comment saying where you've posted it. Done!5. Join Chick Lit Central on Facebook. (If you're already a member, let us know that too.) Done!danisilvia223ATgmailDotcom

When I took my kids to Chuck E Cheeses it was generally for birthday parties but the adults didn't stay. If they did we enjoyed making up drinking games - good thing we didn't drink alcohol or the kids would have had to drive home - and they couldn't reach the gas pedal!LOL

The strangest thing I have ever done under noisy/chaotic conditions is read. I had the ability to tune just about anything out - just ask my hubby. lol Unfortunately this ability is now severely lacking...

Former reporters do all sorts of things under loud conditions, but I would go for reviewing a Springsteen concert as happening, and writing disaster news stories on deadline: Challenger, Columbia, 9/11

The last time we were at Chuck E Cheese was about twenty years ago, for our son's birthday party. I seem to remember that he enjoyed some driving game, where he was seated in a little car. But it's a little fuzzy!mtakala1 AT yahoo DOT com

1. The strangest thing I've ever done under loud/chaotic conditions would be write my 10 page term paper I had at the end of my Freshman year of college. Towards the end I just wasn't able to work in the library any more so I went to my room where my roommate was watching t.v. and I could play music.2. I play so many video games it's a little ridiculous to be honest. I have to say my favorite would be Left 4 Dead on the Xbox. Also, the first one not the second one, I think the original is just better.

1. My friend had just taught me how to juggle, but I could not juggle more than 2 oranges at a time for the life of me. So people got bored watching and went back to doing whatever they were doing before they started watching me (chatting, DDR, cooking, screaming, play tag, etc.) With all the noise, I suddenly started juggling 4 oranges... :S

2. I like the one where you smash the little purple animals that pop out? With a hammer? I'm not sure if it's got a name... :)

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